Clip attachment for venetian blinds



July 4, 1950 J. SEAGAARD 2,513,895

CLIP ATTACHMENT FOR VENETIAN BLINDs Filed May 27, 194T Z\ J5 zgn .3.

Tmw L 7 Il T 4r |il Isl* f f 6* 4 INVENTOR Jbzzeagaara?. BY l w f M ATTORNEY Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STATES TENT' OFFICE "n 1 I 2,513,895 K 1 CLIP ATTACHMENT FR` VENETIAN BLINDS John Seagaard, New York, N'. l A

Application May 27, 1947, Serial N0. 750,664

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in Venetian blinds or window shades comprising a number of light controlling elements adjustably mounted to admit more or less light through a window opening, or cut off the light as desired. Such elements are usually made in the form of slats suspended across the window or like opening from a supporting bar at the top, and have apertures through which cords are passed and secured at their lower ends to a bar at the bottom of the blind. By means of these cords, the entire shade or blind can be lifted to the top of the opening to allow the light to enter fully.

An important object of the invention is to provide each Slat with a simple and inexpensive clip attachment, which can easily be secured in place, and permit the quick removal and replacement of any of the slats in case of breaking, splitting or other damage and for painting and cleaning. Such slats are chiefly thin strips of Wood, and apt to break if the blind is mishandled or carelessly operated.

The nature of the invention is set forth at length hereinafter, and the novel features are defined in the claims. But only the preferred embodiment is illustrated, and changes in details can be adopted without material deviation from the construction by which the invention is distinguished from prior devices in the same general class.

On the drawings:

Figure l shows part of the Slat of a Venetian blind bearing the attachment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a top view of the attachment or fitting which is adapted to be affixed to the slats where the cords pass through the latter.

The numeral I indicates one end of such a slat, having the shape of a strip of wood or other material and 2 the fitting or the attachment therefor. This attachment is a flat metal plate or clip secured on one face of the slat by engagement with the opposite edges thereof. The slats in the conventional form of blind have yapertures or holes near the opposite ends for the lifting cords; but in the slat shown on the drawings, a deep transversely extending notch or recess 3 is cut into one edge and extends a little over half way across the slat, The attachment has a corresponding notch 4 and projections 5 at each of the four corners. The side edges of the attachment or clip run crosswse of the Slat, and the projections extend beyond the ends of the clip and over the opposite edges of the Slat, vSO that they can be bent around the edge and clinch it tightly. The clip is usually put on the top face of the slat, one at each end for each notch 3, and the notch 4 of each clip coincides with the adjacent notch 3.

At opposite sides of the notch 5 in each clip are yieldable detents or tongues 6, which are preferably integral with the clip and bent up to be perpendicular to the face thereof. They extend along the sides of the notch and their ends are curved towards each other and make contact with each other at a point near the open end of the notch 4, and then outward. The diverging extremities l' of these detents act as a guide, so that the suspension cords of the blind can be slipped between the ends 1 and past the detents into the notches 3 and 4. Thus the slats need no holes for cords passing through the slats. When the cords are in the notches, they can move without hindrance, the slats being supported in the usual way by bands from the top bar, not shown herein, and fastened to the opposite edges of the slats. The tongues 1 are cut free from the body of the clip except Iat the ends opposite the ends 1.

Thus, if one of the slats is cracked or split, it can be taken out just by loosening its edges from the above mentioned bands, and then moving it sideways to pull it free from the cords which pass through the notches 3 and 4. A new Slat can then be substituted at once by slipping the cords between the ends l' of the detents 6 into the notches 3 and 4. The slats can then be fastened again to the suspension bands that run down from the top to the bottom bar, and the repair to the blind is complete. The blind does not have to be taken down and the replacement of a damaged Slat is but the work of a moment.

The invention can be easily manufactured and used and serves most effectively al1 the purposes for which it is designed.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

1. A slat for a blind having the form of a at strip with a, transverse notch in one edge extending towards the opposite edge, and a reinforcing attachment for the Slat extending entirely across the latter and gripping the opposite edges of the slat, to be secured against one face thereof, said attachment having a notch coinciding with the notch in the slot and having tongues at both sides of the notch therein, the tongues extending along the edges of the slot, each tongue being aliixed at one side adjacent at one end to said clip and free at its opposite end, said tongues extending 3 towards each other Within said notch at the opposite ends.

2. The slat according to claim 1, wherein said attachment has projections at the ends clinched each tongue being afxed at one sideadjacent at one end to said clip and free at its opposite end,

said tongue making contact at a. point adjacent the open end of the notch and diverging from sai point outward.

JOHN SEAGAARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,033,834 Kirsch Mar. 10, 1936 2,073,016 Kirsch Mar. 9, 1937 `2,396,435 Rhodes Mar. 12, 1946 2,421,160 Newbill May 27. 1947 

